Worst Foods For Stress
September is Mental Health Awareness Month, we’ve decided to put some focus on things like stress and anxiety that many Australians suffer from, today lets talk stress eating habits.
Hands up to all those stress eater out there? Yep as we suspected, there are a lot of hands. We all have that block of chocolate at the back of the pantry waiting to be annihilated at the end of a bad day.
People sooth stress with food, and normally it’s the food that are high in salt, sugar and really fatty. This is because they all trigger the reward centres of the brain, so that’s why we turn to naughty food when stress levels are peaking.
When we eat high levels of fatty food that are high in calories while stressed it actually slows your metabolism down, which then of course leads to unhealthy weight gain.
Here are all the foods to avoid at all costs while stressed!
- Glazed donuts – skip the baked confections because they aren’t just bad for your waistline, but also increase anxiety. Yep, they have little to zero fibre and contain a tonne of sugar that makes your glucose levels spike, in turn raises the stress hormone cortisol.
Try having oats with berries instead!
- Pretzels – these crunchy treats seem harmless but they’re actually simple carbs that temporarily lift your mood. They are covered in salt also!
Opt for a handful of nuts, like almonds!
- Potato chips and French fries– this is stock standard, chips are an overload of trans fats and its all your essentially stuffing yourself with. Trans fats will stick around your waist where it’s most dangerous to your health.
Instead of white potato chips, try slicing sweet potato and baking it in the oven with little to no oil.
Ice-cream – sugar spikes the glucose levels and cortisol, just how donuts do, but on top of that, the lactose in ice-cream can cause GI distress if your sensitive. Bes put that spoon and tub away.
Try having unsweetened Greek yogurt as an alternative to ice cream, it works a treat especially if you add some berries in it!
- Excessive caffeine – it’s not called a cup of anxiety for nothing, so if you’re suffering from stress or simply having a bad day, its best to steer clear of any strong cups of coffee.
Opt for a nice cuppa tea! Chamomile is fantastic for stress, it will sooth the edge and calm you down so you can wind down a little.
- Alcohol – it affects or liver and can even disrupt hormones. It might seem to make you feel relaxed, it can be a serious depressant in your nervous system and throws everything out of whack. It can upset your quality of sleep and that can cause some serious anxiety!
Instead of saying no completely, try minimizing the amount you consume and only drink alcohol on special occasions. Try consuming drinks without sugary mixers and keep well hydrated with water in between!
- Fast food – we seem to throw our hands up in the air and not give a single care in the world when stressed so we try to “treat ourselves” with fast food. This is a big no-no!
Not only will it make you feel worse and sluggish, but also you will end up feeling instant regret!
If you are going through some stress or have had a bad day, the best thing you could do is get active. Whether it’s going to the gym, going for a walk, or even hitting the shopping mall (try not to make any impulsive purchases) you can really release some heat and stress by moving around.
